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Child care bank now available

Strathcona County residents now have access to a child care information bank, the first of its kind in Alberta.

“We created this because parents are asking about child care — where they can get child care (and) who’s available to give child care,” said Lori Prediger, manager of Family Resource Services for Strathcona County.

The bank, which can be accessed online, will provide parents with information as well as a list of child care providers, and Prediger estimated that there are 36 daycares, out-of-care schools, preschools and family day home agencies within the county.

Parents will also have access to an online guide to choosing quality child care for their children, which offers tips on things to watch out for when searching for child care providers, questions to consider and other suggestions.

She said the bank is intended to incorporate private caregivers.

“We know there’s numerous private child care providers, but currently, there’s no place that is a bank — a list — of those available in the community,” Prediger stated.

“We wanted to provide that opportunity, plus help parents understand that those that would be on the bank would have at least the minimum of a criminal record check done.”

Doing some digging and research is possible, Prediger noted, but that could now be a way of the past.

“It’s a challenge always — we’re just trying to make it easier,” she said.

Prediger said the bank will be simple for parents and providers alike.

“It’s meant to be a really quite quick process in terms of requesting to be on the bank, and the follow up and getting people on the bank — that is really quite a straightforward process,” she noted.

While there is no cost involved to be on the bank, the system will be monitored by the county’s Family and Community Services department, and Prediger said parents should encourage their providers to register.

“Parents know that quality child care is more than just babysitting,” said Strathcona County Mayor Roxanne Carr.

“As a county, we want to ensure that parents are properly equipped to know what questions to ask when looking for quality child care. Once live, the Child Care Information Bank will prove to be a helpful resource for families.”

Strathcona County’s open data portal, which opened in February, will be hosting the information.

“This is a really good opportunity for the community to find out about the child care resources,” Prediger said.

“We really encourage private child care providers to come forward and add themselves to the bank. It’s going to be as good as the people make it.”

The bank, which will be updated monthly, opened on June 15.

More information on the bank as well as the guide can be found by visiting www.strathcona.ca/child care, or by calling 780-464-4044.